Dream Realm
by khooxp
Summary: It appears Titans aren't the only threat. Erwin Smith has been stolen away from the Recon Corps, and this new problem seems to be an even more unknown one. At least they could fight the Titans! But can they learn to fight this?


XP: Hello! Welcome to my fic :D Thanks for giving me and this fic a chance!

After much persuasion from my friends, I started to watch SnK, and I got addicted very quickly. In fact, I just watched episode 18. And god, it was such a cliffhanger! I have to wait a week for the next episode T_T

No pairings currently, except for the implied Riren and LeviXErwin :D

* * *

*****Who is the master and who is the dog?*****

"Erwin, I want tea," Levi said impatiently as he crossed his legs in Erwin chair.

"Yes, yes," Erwin hummed patronisingly, striding over to pour tea for the spoilt corporal.

Levi shifted through the paperwork in boredom, doing some for Erwin. Erwin had afterall, been the one to teach him writing and reading, and he showed exceptional talent in forgery. Figures. Levi smirked in amusement as he scrawled out reports in Erwin's impeccable cursive font. He yawned as Erwin set the teacup down, drowsily lifting it to his lips. Bleary eyes looked up at the taller man. No words of gratitude were exchanged. They both had a rough day, and were used to helping each other out.

"How's Eren Jeager?" Erwin asked conversationally, sitting down on the visitor's chair and studying the reports Levi filled out. He poured himself a cup of tea as well, drinking from it.

"Heh. So-so," Levi scoffed. "Ngh." He suddenly blinked rapidly, moving his hand to rub at his left eye.

"Don't rub it," Erwin chided, standing up to move to Levi. "Let me see."

And this was the position Eren Jeager found them in. Erwin was standing in between Levi's lean, sprawled out legs, leaning down with a hand on the cheek of Levi's tilted back face. Erwin was looking down at Levi with utmost concentration, and Levi was staring back at him quietly.

"S-sorry sirs!" Eren stammered in embarrassment, flushing red at the seemingly intimate moment.

"Ah?" Levi called out, trying to get up. Erwin adamantly held him down with a hand on his shoulder. He pulled open the irritated eye and blew.

Oh... Eren's tense shoulders relaxed. So that was what it was!

"What do you want, Eren Jeager?" Levi scowled as Erwin stepped away and he righted himself up from his compromising position.

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you dinner is ready..." Eren trailed, looking between the two nervously.

"Thank you. We'll be there," Erwin replied politely as he gathered his papers into a neat pile. Levi yawned and stretched out on the oak table like a cat, showing no sign of moving anytime soon. His eyes closed and he appeared to be falling asleep with his steady breaths.

"Come on." Eren snapped out of his trance of staring at the short corporal, following behind Erwin hastily.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, are you two..." Eren trailed, blushing deeper. "Uh! You don't have to answer me, sir! I was rude and just wondering-" Eren rambled, and stopped when he heard Erwin's amused chuckles.

"I wonder if our relationship can be categorized," Erwin smiled. "Perhaps an apt way to say it would be one of Master and Dog."

"And, um, who would be...?" Eren asked curiously.

"Who knows?" Erwin gave another burst of laughter again.

Confused, Eren just tagged along until he found Armin and Mikasa. After he sat down with his food, he could see Erwin leaving with two plates of food, most likely one for himself, one for Levi. The second plate was significantly smaller in proportion... Was that why Levi never grew taller? Eren was getting more and more curious.

"Eren?" Mikasa asked worriedly as Eren had a dazed look in his eyes while he thought.

"It's nothing," Eren assured, scarfing down his food quickly. Armin however, was not convinced. He eyed Eren suspiciously, watched the excited gleam in Eren's eyes, like the time they played detective for a man who believed his watch was stolen by his uncle. And he knew Eren had found a 'case'.

"Eren-" He began, but Eren was already standing up.

"Sorry guys! I just remembered that I had something to do!" Eren beamed, running off, leaving his two friends to stare after him, confused and worried.

When Eren ran over, the plates of food were already empty. He peeked into the room, and saw Erwin chuckling over the still drowsy Levi. The dim orange light in the room set a cozy atmosphere in the room, and this orange hue was reflected in both their eyes as they looked at each other. Levi broke the gaze to yawn, and Erwin only smiled wider.

"Come on, Levi, I'll bring you back to your room," Erwin moved over to Levi, pulling Levi's arm.

"Ngh, I don't need you to carry me," Levi grumbled, getting onto Erwin's back regardless. His eyes slid close in peace, and he snuggled his head into Erwin's shoulder, crossing his arms loosely around Erwin's neck, and his legs around Erwin's stomach. Levi hummed contently as he made himself at home on Erwin's broad, reliable back, hiding a smile. Erwin himself, made no such effort, he smiled widely at the weight on his back, and started to move in slow, measured steps.

Eren hurriedly ran away from the door to hide behind a pillar, peeking over to watch Erwin hoist Levi a little higher, hands around Levi's thighs. At that moment, Levi, with his sharp instincts, opened his eyes and noticed Eren there. To Eren's surprise, a tinge of pink appeared on Levi's cheeks, which Levi hid by burrowing his head deeper into the hollow of Erwin's neck. Erwin smiled and lifted a hand to ruffle Levi's hair, unaware of Eren's existence.

A twinge of pain hit Eren's chest, and surprised, Eren raised a hand to grip at his shirt. What... what was this pain for? Looking at their disappearing backs, Eren's heart thumped painfully. What... was he jealous? Why would he be?

*****End day*****

* * *

*****Start series of dreams*****

Levi was running.

Levi was running along alleys and scaling walls and jumping across rooftops, and those guards couldn't catch up to him even with their 3D maneuver gear. Levi laughed with his spoils in his arms, meat stolen from the interior guards.

...

Levi found not meat this time, but a 3D maneuver gear lying innocently on a table. Shifting his eyes left and right, Levi dashed up and grabbed it, running away to a deserted alley where he examined the machine in greater detail. His eyes widened in awe and the complexity of it, and thinking back to how those guys always flew around on wire, he could feel a bubble of excitement growing within him. Could he do that too if he practised? Levi strapped it onto himself, surprised at the good fit, and pulled the trigger, the wire shooting out. Surprised by the force he was dragged with as he followed the wire, Levi barely avoided collision with the wall by shooting the other trigger.

This time he fell, harshly onto the dirty floor. Levi lifted his face, scowling. Turns out it wasn't as easy as it looked. Gathering himself up, he started running to the forest where he could practise without disruptions or fear of being caught.

He aimed the sword at a tree, clicking the trigger, he was carried upwards easily, and clicking the other trigger, he was carried off to another direction when he disengaged the other wire. Levi tried this slow, simplistic movement first, before adding more varieties. Soon, he was swinging across trees, twirling around branches, spinning upside down, dashing on tress and leaping across branches. It was exhilarating. It was like he had wings. He laughed heartily, despite the various scratches and bruises he now had from some of his brilliant failures where he slammed against trees. He flew with the birds-no- he flew faster than birds, swinging, spinning, twisting, turning... until he ran out of gas.

Levi collapsed on the ground, clicking the trigger while breathing harshly. The gas came out in tiny spurts, and he was disappointed. He threw his hand back down on the ground, sprawled out like a star. But a smile grew on his face again. He couldn't wait to steal another.

...

Levi should have known something was up. This was the fifth time a 3D maneuver gear laid innocently on the table. But his eagerness and love for the freedom and mobility it granted him blinded him, and he found himself reaching for it with his guard down, and suddenly a knife was around his throat.

Levi however, recovered from his shock quickly, his ability to improvise not failing him as he automatically bit down harshly on the hand, drawing blood. Ducking down to avoid any possible hits, Levi dashed forward and grabbed the 3D maneuver gear, jumping out of the window. While running on the roof, he secured the belt around himself, and the most exhilarating chase ensued.

No one had ever caught up with him so well. Levi was having a lot of fun, the first time using the gear in housing districts, and found the new terrain refreshing. He liked spontaneity and the unknown surroundings, liked a challenge that kept him on his toes, and there were so many times that the man chasing him almost caught him, like when the man swung around him and tried to capture him with the wire, but Levi simply bent his waist back flexibly while flying and it missed him. Plus, the blond guy had seemed visibly impressed. That meant Levi was most likely better than the recruits! Levi couldn't help the surge of pride that rose up within him.

But as he was never taught proper gas control, his full tank soon ran out, and the other man's possibly half tank hadn't. Levi ran out of gas halfway, and could do nothing but twist to minimise impact on the ground, but to his utmost surprise, a muscular arm snaked around his waist, and he was flying up again, until they both landed on the roof.

Both breathing heavily, Levi turned up to look at his chuckling captor.

"So I finally get to meet you face-to-face, you infamous rogue," The much taller man laughed. "I heard you'd been thieving our food supplies and you were never caught."

Levi squirmed in the man's grip.

"You proved to be much better than I thought you'd be. You've almost mastered the 3D maneuver gear," The blond man praised. "I'm Erwin Smith. What's your name?"

Levi paused in his squirming and trying to pry the strong man's arm from his thin waist. Wait. What? So... all the times he stole the weapon... it was left deliberately for him?

"I have a proposition. Won't you join the Recon Corps? We'll provide you with food, shelter, clothes... you just have to help us in our cause to fight Titans," Erwin asked hopefully.

"Huh? Titans? What's that?" Levi questioned quizzically. "So you wanna buy me? You're making me fight for entertainment?"

"What? No!" Erwin gasped. How could anyone not know what Titans were? "The giants outside the walls, that threaten mankind! We're making you fight to regain territory and to stop our caged lives!"

"Oh," Levi said thoughtfully. "Those. I killed one with my fourth gear."

Erwin's eyes widened. "You ventured past the walls?"

"Just to try out," Levi shrugged, shifting uncomfortably with Erwin's arm still tightly wound around him, making his back stick to Erwin's muscular chest. "So what, you're going to make me fight those monsters? So I'm like a paid mercenary? You're not gonna ask for sex or anything right? You're not gonna chain me up and treat me like the criminal I am?"

Erwin stared at him with a disbelieving look. Levi didn't know it was because he killed a 'titan' or because he asked if he was going to be a fighting whore for the Recon Corps. Maybe both, Levi mused. He was suddenly lifted and carried over a shoulder.

"I promise you'll be treated one of us, and fly freely like you're made to, Levi," Erwin said strongly, stunning Levi with the amount of conviction he had.

"Hey! Let me down!" Levi protested indignantly, when he had recovered.

Erwin didn't listen to him, only took him back to the base.

...

"So what now, Master?" Levi asked as his hands fumbled with the buttons of the too large shirt that belonged to Erwin. Erwin sighed and moved over, swatting away the hands and helping Levi button. Looking up, he saw that Levi hadn't even dried his hair properly, with it dripping wet with water. Erwin fetched a towel and began ruffling Levi's head with the soft fluffy towel.

Levi chuckled when the towel tickled his neck. He liked being clean. He liked the white shirt he had on. He'd never been white. He's always been grey, brown and black in his street clothes. He'd always had dust or mud on some part of him. This was new. He liked smelling like the shampoo Erwin used, like the smell of cleanness, liked his new boots, not his worn out sneakers.

"You don't have to call me Master, call me Sir. So what's your name?" Erwin asked patiently.

Sparkling, mischievous eyes looked up at him. "I'm Levi Rivaille, Erwin!"

Erwin facepalmed as Levi laughed at his frustration.

...

Levi was parading around the place, a proud smile on his face as he walked beside Erwin. He had declared himself Erwin's right-hand man, and though the troops had all challenged his right to be there, as well his strength in fighting, he had beaten them all down to the ground in training. Thus, he was the strongest right? Next to Erwin at least, anyway. No one dared to question him now, since he had beaten them all.

"You can't be my right-hand man if you can't even read and write reports, Levi," Erwin said with exasperated fondness.

"Then you can just teach me, Erwin!" Levi smirked. He knew this was insubordination, but he loved saying Erwin's name. "So, can I go on your expeditions?"

"Not yet. I'll teach you when I get back from this one," Erwin smiled gently at his shorter companion who sulked and crossed his arms.

"Why not?!"

"Well, I'm concerned for your safety. You could be honed further to become one of our best, so I don't want to take a risk in losing you," Erwin explained.

Levi fell silent. Then he twisted his leg to kick strongly at the back of Erwin's knees, making Erwin fall.

"Erwin, you idiot!" Levi growled. "You better come back safely!"

He stalked off in anger, Erwin's incredulous laughter trailing behind him.

...

"How could you house a criminal without the approval of the Military Court?! He's a danger and threat to humanity!"

Levi knelt in the middle, Erwin standing in front of him, arguing his case. They had been inspecting the grounds while the Recon Corps were gone, and found Levi training with the gear. In their attempt to capture him, Levi had panicked and gravely injured a few members. He was captured and thrown into the prison for a few days, and Erwin had been outraged to find the summons letter, knowing Levi had been caught without his permission, which broke his promise to Levi that he would never be caged.

"Levi has changed, sir. He could possibly turn out to be our best soldier. His talent in using the 3D maneuver gear is exceptional," Erwin argued.

"He's an enemy within the walls! Look what he has done to our soldiers!"

"How can you be sure that he's on our side?"

Levi looked up at Erwin's broad back tiredly, watched the shoulders trembling in anger. He closed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his head against the back of Erwin's leg. Erwin flinched in surprise, looking down at the quiet Levi. With renewed determination, he started a new argument. "He fully listens to my orders!"

"Prove it!" A roar of protest from all over the court. Erwin spun around to stare down at Levi with pain in his eyes. Levi smiled up at him, trusting eyes making it all the more painful. Levi closed his eyes and braced himself.

A harsh kick met his head, followed by a few more blows. Levi coughed up blood, but he looked up and called loudly, voice resounding in the room.

"Master."

Murmurs of approval were heard, and the court were smiling, but the two men in the middle were not. In fact, Erwin Smith looked close to tears, mouth a grim slash as his legs trembled with the horror of what he had done, staring at the blood of his boots. Levi's blood. Levi had his head lowered in submission, head throbbing painfully.

"You are allowed to keep your weapon, Erwin Smith. We expect great things from you and him."

Erwin's shaking, desperate hands unchained Levi from the pole,and Levi fell into his shoulders, coughing weakly. The warm blood slid down his shirt, and Erwin bit his lip as he gathered the malnourished man in his arms, whispering apologies repeatedly as he walked out.

"I'm so sorry, Levi, I should have taken you with me, I should have... I'm so, so sorry, Levi, please don't hate me..."

"What are you talking about, Erwin?" Levi laughed softly. "I've never hated you. You did what you had to. You saved me."

Tears finally dropped from Erwin's eyes, as he hugged Levi tightly to him, apologetic and thankful for Levi's understanding. He got on his horse, with Levi in front of him. Levi leaned against Erwin, and laughed at Erwin's contorted crying face.

"Idiot."

...

A dimly lit room. Levi looked around. Was he still dreaming? He moved forward to Erwin, who sat on the sofa, seating beside him and dropping his head to Erwin's shoulder in a familiar action. Erwin was warm and comfortable. Levi sighed and closed his eyes, relaxing fully. "Erwin..." He whispered in contentment, much like a child who loved repeating 'mommy' just to hear those words from their lips and to get their mother's attention. "Erwin..." He repeated, with a small smile, just glad to be able to have Erwin beside him, gratitude that Erwin took him in.

But, unlike Erwin's usual doting smile and gentle, caressing hand, there was nothing. Levi looked up sharply to see that Erwin's features were covered with a dark shadow, Shocked, he reached up to touch Erwin's face, but it crumbled under his fingers to form a black dust.

Trembling, he could only call out in fear.

"Erwin...?" His other hand raised, trying to touch Erwin's arm, but that too crumbled. Withdrawing both hands desperately as if stung, Levi watched as Erwin continued to crumble- it was too late.

"No..." Levi flung himself around the disappearing man, hugging him tightly, but his arms soon fell around nothing. "No!"Levi said fiercely. "This is... yes, this is just a dream!" Levi desperately gripped the remaining hand that also crumbled to dust. "When I wake up...Erwin will be..."

But why did his voice lack the conviction? Why was the dread in his chest growing deeper and darker, and the hollow, nagging feeling deep within him growing in intensity? Why was his body quivering with loss, and why were his searching fingers still raking along the black dust which was too-disappearing?

Why... why was he crying?

...

"LEVI! RUN AWAY!"

"E-Erwin?" Levi stammered, taking a step back in the darkness. He spun around, unable to see anything.

"Don't you dare touch him!"

"Erwin! What's going on?" Levi called out blindly, horribly confused. He had been having multiple dreams of how he and Erwin first met, but what was with this? Was he still in a dream? Is this reality? "Is it a titan, Erwin? Where are you?"

"No, Levi, just run, go! Armin, I beg you, take him away!"

"Huh?" Levi called out in confusion as desperate shaking hands pushed him away from Erwin's voice. "What? No! Erwin! ERWIN!"

...

* * *

Levi woke up with a start. "ERWIN?!" He shouted immediately, and was met with Armin's crying face.

He looked around. He had fallen asleep in his room, after Erwin put him down, and Erwin had changed his clothes... and Armin was seating beside his bed in a chair, gripping the fabric his pant legs in a painfully tight grip, knuckles turning white. Dread returned to Levi, and he swallowed painfully, waiting for the bad news.

"I'm so, so sorry... Levi heichou, b-but,no matter how... h-h-hard I searched, I couldn't find E-Erwin anywhere..."Armin hiccuped, wiping at his tears.

Levi could only stare in shock, unable to process what Armin was saying. Wasn't... wasn't it all a dream?

Erwin... was_ gone_?

*****END*****

* * *

XP: Please give me feedback and criticism! Too OOC? Exciting? Like it? :D


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